The Expendables 2 doesn’t open until this Friday, but it’s never too early to start casting rumors for The Expendables 3­ – which is exactly what producer Avi Lerner is doing this morning.

A Total Film piece finds the producer already anticipating a third outing for the series, which focuses on a group of “older” action stars from the ‘80s and ‘90s showing they’ve still got the goods even as they reach an age where they could be collecting Social Security.

Lerner is already organizing his wishlist for the third film, and he’s not scraping the bottom of the B-movie barrel for new cast members (which could once again kill my dream of an Expendables movie featuring Thomas Ian Griffith and Brian Bosworth…). No, Lerner’s going A-list.

“We’ve approached Clint Eastwood to be one of the guys, we’ve got a character in mind for him. We’re talking to Harrison Ford. [And we want] Wesley Snipes when he comes back from prison. I’ll give you one more name, we’ve got Nicolas Cage to play [one of the characters].”

Quite the list – but we can’t see Eastwood or Harrison Ford signing on to do one of these films. Cage, on the other hand, makes perfect sense. Is there a film Nic Cage won’t do these days? If so, we don’t think anyone’s discovered it yet.

Lerner goes on to add that he’d love to have Mickey Rourke back, with one caveat: he has to behave himself. “And we’re going to bring Mickey Rourke back, if he won’t be too crazy. I like Mickey,” Lerner says. We like Mickey too, but asking Mickey Rourke not to be crazy is like asking the sun to rise in the west – it’s scientifically impossible.

Of course, all of this is just conjecture and stirring the pot on Lerner’s part. An Expendables 3 could certainly happen, but Expendables 2 has to be a box office success first, and what better way to get people to support this film than by teasing them with what might be in the next installment… an installment they only get if they rush out and see this one? We’re on to you, Avi Lerner.

What do you think of this wishlist? Is it strong enough to get you into a theater to see Stallone and company’s latest adventure this Friday? Who else do you want in Expendables 3 (aside from Thomas Ian Griffith and Brian Bosworth – we think those are obvious choices)? We’ve got two words for you: Lance Henriksen. If they get Bosworth and Henriksen and bring Van Damme back? We’ve got the Stone Cold/Hard Target reunion I’ve dreamt about for years. Make this happen, Avi Lerner.

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